Foreign guests and YSU students who returned from abroad presented the results of their researches at YSU Faculty of Biology today.

The researches were carried out within the framework of a grant to the Chair of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology. Associate Professor at this chair Hovik Panosyan said that the grant was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway: “It includes a number of European and Caucasian, Central Asian and Asian countries. The Grant Program also includes external partners representing the United States.”

Hovik Panosyan also said that the grant was provided about a year ago: “It is aimed at creating an educational and knowledge based network between partner countries. The head of the Norwegian side is a professor who has repeatedly been at our university and delivered lectures. I am the coordinator of the non-European side.”

“The importance of the network for Armenia, particularly YSU, is that we are becoming a country that is not only a science-consuming or science-importing country, but also a country that exports science. We adopt European progressive ideas, then try to reach that level and convey to those countries that need it. In this network, YSU has played a key role in transmitting new scientific results from Europe to China and vice versa,” - said the Associate Professor.

Grant provides with the opportunity for experience exchange for Master and PhD students. Within the framework of this program, YSU hosted Khursheda Bobojanova, the Director of Biotechnology Center of the Tajik National University and two PhD students of the Center. YSU post-graduate students Ani Saghatelyan, Pargev Hovhannisyan and Master student Ani Azaryan have already returned from the University of Bergen, Norway, where they have been conducting scientific researches for three months.

During the event, foreign guests and YSU students presented the results of their scientific work.

Khursheda Bobojanova, Director of the Biotechnology Center of the Tajik National University, stated that the program greatly contributes to the development of theoretical and practical knowledge of their young staff: “I am very happy for this cooperation. It is quite effective. We have learned a lot here, especially in terms of the practical work. True, we still do not have the appropriate equipment, but I hope we will fill that gap in the near future.”

Hovik Panosyan added that within the framework of this program other events will also be organized, which will also contribute to the exchange of experience and increase of efficiency.

Any achievement of science can provide a new opportunity for human progress, but it can also contain hazardous elements for the health and well-being of people. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are among these achievements.